Some mothers are exceptional nurturers. They care, lead, encourage, teach, love, sacrifice...all for the sake of another. They have a great support system too, to enable them to do this. They themselves are cared for.
Some are failures. Perhaps something inside leaves them empty and the desire to make another happy has long been spent.
Most mothers, I'd suspect, are somewhere in between those two. They desire to nurture well, they want the best for their charges and they work hard to accomplish that but they find themselves at times all too human. They miss opportunities. Sometimes they make poor choices - for themselves and those they care for. Some are born into poverty. Others don't have the encouragement of another for them to do better at this all-important job. But on the whole, they bring up pretty fine children and lead them into adulthood.
It's quite a job. It's a difficult job...sometimes even thankless....infrequently being thanked or recognized for the terrific job they are doing.
So I figured it to be a great opportunity, on the eve of Mother's Day, to say thanks to all the moms everywhere for doing superb jobs! I salute you! Most moms do the very best they can, with whatever resources and gifts they've been given. They work hard to teach and lead by example like the person who nurtured them.
My mom was terrific. I think she did a pretty fine job rearing the three of us. She did the very best she could with what she had been given. I think as we grow up and look back to see how our own mothers raised us, we see things we wished we could change because...well, we see our own parents shortcomings and failures...we see their humanness. I think it's in that same humanness that we begin to truly appreciate all the things our moms did for us. We were accepting of all they gave us as children even if those things perhaps were lacking as we see them now through adult eyes. We had no great expectations other than her unconditional love.
Happy Mother's Day...to all who not only gave birth to children, but also to those who have nurtured others children. It's a day and opportunity worth celebrating.
Here is the thread of nurturing in my family...from one generation to the next...
My grandma and grandpa Cantelo and my mom seated on her daddy's left knee.
My grandpa died in the flu epidemic of 1918 not long after this picture was taken
leaving a single mom with two very young daughters.
Me and my mom...1951:)
Our very young family...1984.
Our not-so-young family...2012.
Another generation of nurturers...daughter and her daughter.
I like to think I had a hand in nurturing our lovely granddaughter!
Nurturing a son can produce some pretty meaningful hugs later on:)
Nurturing a daughter can make a mother extremely proud of who and what she has become!
Have fun tomorrow honoring, remembering and reminiscing about YOUR mom. If you're fortunate enough to be right there with her....be thankful. That is such a gift! As for me, I will remember my mom with much fondness and thank God for her memory.
2 comments:
You have a way with words. Beautifully said.
Yes, you certainly do have a way with words and I enjoy reading all of them! Happy Mothers Day!
Post a Comment